The Junior A Elliot Lake Vikings scored a quick overtime goal to take a 6-5 win over the Timmins Rock at the Centennial arena Saturday evening.
For the estimated 500 fans who attended the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) matchup, the game offered all the excitement and outstanding play fans are looking for from their local players.
It was the first time the team played on home ice since it was renamed the Vikings this season harking back to the original name the club was established with when it was formed in the mid-1960s.
Former player and long-time hockey supporter Bucky Seymour, who played for the Vikings in the early 1970s, was honoured to be the one to officially drop the faceoff puck for the returning team.
Seymour has followed the team since its inception and as a past player was happy to see the Viking name returned to Elliot Lake and the arena.
From the opening faceoff, it was evident the fans would see a back-and-forth battle with each team taking the play to each other’s end.
Gavin McLenaghan notched the first goal for the home side with a shot that went up and in on Rock goaltender Dryden Riley at 12:46.
The Rock’s Jaden Lyons got the equalizer about five minutes in the middle frame that Vikings’ goaltender Matthew Vahramian couldn’t get because of the angle.
The game would see the sides trade leads until the third period when Elliot Lake made it a one-goal game after forcing a turnover which allowed McLenaghan to convert with a quick shot.
The Vikings then sent it to extra time with 1:22 remaining in regulation when Anthony Bertrand wheeled down the right wing and put a pass over to Gabriel Manseau who fired in the equalizer.
Heading to OT, Elliot Lake completed the comeback when Dylan Leslie notched the overtime goal and win for the locals.
On Friday the Vikings travel to Hearst to take on the Lumberjacks.
(With files from the NOJHL news)